Saturday March 23, 2013, 10:51 pm
Thanks for posting this, Kit. I was just looking yesterday for some recent details on this spill, and stories were very scarce and little detail was given. The MJ article states:

"A local cattleman told The Denver Post that such spills are common in the area and often remain secret, and state records show that the oil and gas industry is responsible for hundreds of spills each year, the newspaper reports."

The articles I saw said that it wasn't even known what was spilling into Parachute Creek. And of course, as usual, officials say that the spill is no risk to the public. According to the Denver Post on March 19, Williams Energy's spokesman reports that "the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment emergency officials were notified verbally last week, [and] No public health announcements have been made".

It's obvious that the officials in Colorado, and of course the polluting companies are asleep at the switch, or lying. The people of the polluted areas and watchdog groups will need to be very proactive before the situation gets even worse.

Sunday March 24, 2013, 5:28 am
This is a poorly regulated industry that places gag laws on victims and conducts its own scientific inquiries on health impact statements. Is it any wonder that it is filled with manipulative overseers who will cut corners at every opportunity! The fact is - it has proven to be far more dangerous and creates far fewer jobs than originally expected - most oversight is conducted from absentee corporate headquarters in Texas +/or other States that have oil/gas corporations.
The Univ. of Colorado recently found that health impacts from fracking are showing severe impacts to people living within a 1/2 mile radius of each well. The radioactive content of waste water and the nearly 500 chemicals used in the fracking process contains several (hundreds) of chemicals that are carcinogenic and even at the smallest amounts (some uncalculated) are damaging to health, leading to neurological disorders, cancers and asthma. We're not even talking the emissions of benzene and methane associated with each well (the study mentioned earlier was focused on benzene and methane - not including the spillage of the highly toxic sludge associated with frack waste).
Thanks for this -- we need a moratorium country-wide on this method of extraction - the gas is so dirty that upon burning releases much more radon so that this gas isn't the same as non HVHF gas that most of us are accustomed to burning!

Sunday March 24, 2013, 7:47 am
this paragraph says it all...most are NOT reported?????? a crying shame

A local cattleman told The Denver Post that such spills are common in the area and often remain secret, and state records show that the oil and gas industry is responsible for hundreds of spills each year, the newspaper reports.

Sunday March 24, 2013, 9:27 am
The Merced River is one of the most beautiful rivers in California and world famous for its swift and steep course through the Yosemite Valley. It is a stunning river that draws nearly 3.5 million visitors each year.

But right now, the Merced is in danger from a bill trying to “de-designate” it as a protected Wild and Scenic River in order to raise a dam.

Contact your Representative today. This bill is a terrible precedent that would be bad for the environment and could lead to reversing protections for Wild and Scenic Rivers nationwide.

The purpose of raising the dam is to allow the irrigation district to store additional water. Proponents say that the bill is needed in order to study the environmental impact of raising the dam. However, studies and state review can occur without HR 934.

This bill could be up for a vote as early as this week. Please tell your Representative to vote NO on HR 934 >>

The free-flowing nature of the Merced River is important to the multi-million dollar recreational economy that relies on the Yosemite Valley. Raising the dam would also harm the limestone salamander, which is fully protected under the California Endangered Species Act. All of this is being put at risk for a little more water but not enough for most people to notice in the face of natural variations in weather and changing climate.

This bill is a serious threat to not only the Merced River, but Wild and Scenic River protections nationwide. Please take action today.

Sunday March 24, 2013, 12:37 pm
One of the many reasons I installed a whole-house reverse osmosis water filter. Can't do much about the air, alas. Not that I'm that close to this one, but there are others.

And, of course, from Parachute Creek and into the Colorado River means into the Grand Canyon.

Monday March 25, 2013, 11:17 am
Does this make sense? 6,000 gallons of hydrocarbons at the expense of 102,000 gallons of waste water and possible contamination of the aquifer? These companies who are destroying the environment and risking our health MUST be STOPPED!